California 2017-2018 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate

SB 944 — Community Paramedicine Act of 2018.

Last action — August 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

(1) Existing law, the Emergency Medical Services System and the Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act, governs local emergency medical services (EMS) systems. The act establishes the Emergency Medical Services Authority, which is responsible for the coordination and integration of emergency medical services. Among other duties, the authority is required to develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical services systems, provide technical assistance to existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing the components of emergency medical services systems, and receive plans for the implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems from local EMS agencies. A violation of the act or regulations adopted pursuant to the act is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would create the Community Paramedicine Act of 2018. The bill would, until January 1, 2025, authorize a local EMS agency to develop a community paramedicine program, as defined, to provide specified community paramedic services. The bill would require the authority to review a local EMS agency's proposed community paramedicine program and approve, approve with conditions, or deny the proposed program within 6 months after it is submitted by the local EMS agency. The bill would require a local EMS agency that opts to develop a community paramedicine program to, among other things, integrate the proposed program into the local EMS agency's emergency medical services plan, enter into an agreement with a community paramedicine provider for the delivery of community paramedic services within the local EMS agency's jurisdiction that is consistent with the proposed program, establish a process for training and certifying community paramedics, and facilitate and participate in any discussion between a community paramedicine provider and public or private health system participants to provide funding to support implementation of the proposed program. The bill would create the Community Paramedicine Medical Oversight Committee to advise the authority on, and approve minimum medical protocols for, community paramedicine program specialties. The bill would require the authority to develop, in consultation with the committee, regulations that establish minimum standards for the development of a community paramedicine program. The bill would require the authority to submit an annual report on the community paramedicine programs operating in California to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature, and to post that report on its Internet Web site, beginning 6 months after the authority adopts the regulations and every January 1 thereafter for the next 5 years. The bill would prohibit a person or organization from providing community paramedic services or representing, advertising, or otherwise implying that it is authorized to provide community paramedic services unless it is expressly authorized by a local EMS agency to provide those services as part of a community paramedicine program approved by the authority. The bill would also prohibit a community paramedic from providing community paramedic services if he or she has not been certified to perform those services and is working as an employee of an authorized community paramedicine provider. Because a violation of the act described above is punishable as a misdemeanor, and this bill would create new requirements within the act, the violation of which would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law authorizes a county to establish an emergency medical care committee and requires the committee, at least annually, to review the operations of ambulance services operating within the county, emergency medical care offered within the county, and first aid practices in the county. Existing law requires the county board of supervisors to prescribe the membership, and appoint the members, of the committee. This bill would require the committee to include additional members, as specified, and to advise a local EMS agency within the county on the development of its community paramedicine program if the local EMS agency develops a community paramedicine program. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2025. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. August 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. August 8 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  3. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 26). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. Referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  5. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  6. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 8. Page 4390.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  7. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 4300.) (May 25).

  10. Set for hearing May 25.

  11. May 14 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  12. Set for hearing May 14.

  13. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1. Page 4814.) (April 24).

  16. Set for hearing April 24.

  17. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 4745.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  18. Set for hearing April 18.

  19. Re-referred to Coms. on HEALTH and JUD.

  20. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  21. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  22. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 1.

  23. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Hertzberg · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Hertzberg

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 13 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 9002
Democratic 3000
Republican 1000
Total 13002
% of votes cast 87%0%0%13%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Bigelow — Yea
Nazarian — Not Voting
Santiago — Yea
Thurmond — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Burke — Yea
Mayes — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Rodriguez — Not Voting
Wood — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 28 Yea · 8 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 23803
Democratic 5000
Total 28803
% of votes cast 72%21%0%8%
How each member voted (39)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Nay
Bradford — Yea
Lara — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Morrell — Nay
Nielsen — Not Voting
Roth — Yea
Galgiani — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Hernandez — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Hill — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Allen — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Mitchell — Yea
Cannella — Yea
Monning — Yea
Pan — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Vidak — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Wilk — Yea
De León — Not Voting
Fuller — Nay
Moorlach — Nay
Anderson — Nay
Beall — Not Voting
Dodd — Yea
Newman — Nay
Beth Gaines — Nay
Bill Berryhill — Yea
Mark Stone — Nay
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended

Passed 4 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 3003
Democratic 1000
Total 4003
% of votes cast 57%0%0%43%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Not Voting
Bradford — Yea
Lara — Yea
Nielsen — Not Voting
Beall — Not Voting
Hill — Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Placed on suspense file

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6000
Democratic 1000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Hill — Yea
Lara — Yea
Beall — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety healthcare
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 944 do?
(1) Existing law, the Emergency Medical Services System and the Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act, governs local emergency medical services (EMS) systems. The act establishes the Emergency Medical Services Authority, which is responsible for the coordination and integration of emergency medical services. Among other duties, the authority is required to develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical services systems, provide technical assistance to existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing the components of emergency medical services systems, and receive plans for the implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems from local EMS agencies. A violation of the act or regulations adopted pursuant to the act is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would create the Community Paramedicine Act of 2018. The bill would, until January 1, 2025, authorize a local EMS agency to develop a community paramedicine program, as defined, to provide specified community paramedic services. The bill would require the authority to review a local EMS agency's proposed community paramedicine program and approve, approve with conditions, or deny the proposed program within 6 months after it is submitted by the local EMS agency. The bill would require a local EMS agency that opts to develop a community paramedicine program to, among other things, integrate the proposed program into the local EMS agency's emergency medical services plan, enter into an agreement with a community paramedicine provider for the delivery of community paramedic services within the local EMS agency's jurisdiction that is consistent with the proposed program, establish a process for training and certifying community paramedics, and facilitate and participate in any discussion between a community paramedicine provider and public or private health system participants to provide funding to support implementation of the proposed program. The bill would create the Community Paramedicine Medical Oversight Committee to advise the authority on, and approve minimum medical protocols for, community paramedicine program specialties. The bill would require the authority to develop, in consultation with the committee, regulations that establish minimum standards for the development of a community paramedicine program. The bill would require the authority to submit an annual report on the community paramedicine programs operating in California to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature, and to post that report on its Internet Web site, beginning 6 months after the authority adopts the regulations and every January 1 thereafter for the next 5 years. The bill would prohibit a person or organization from providing community paramedic services or representing, advertising, or otherwise implying that it is authorized to provide community paramedic services unless it is expressly authorized by a local EMS agency to provide those services as part of a community paramedicine program approved by the authority. The bill would also prohibit a community paramedic from providing community paramedic services if he or she has not been certified to perform those services and is working as an employee of an authorized community paramedicine provider. Because a violation of the act described above is punishable as a misdemeanor, and this bill would create new requirements within the act, the violation of which would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law authorizes a county to establish an emergency medical care committee and requires the committee, at least annually, to review the operations of ambulance services operating within the county, emergency medical care offered within the county, and first aid practices in the county. Existing law requires the county board of supervisors to prescribe the membership, and appoint the members, of the committee. This bill would require the committee to include additional members, as specified, and to advise a local EMS agency within the county on the development of its community paramedicine program if the local EMS agency develops a community paramedicine program. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2025. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors SB 944?
SB 944 is sponsored by Hertzberg.
What is the current status of SB 944?
This bill died with 2017-2018 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 944?
Track SB 944 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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